LONDON: According to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions almost 5.9 million people visited the Tate Modern gallery last year, just above the 5.8 million who went to the British Museum.
All of the top ten UK attractions were found in the capital, with the National Museum of Scotland being the highest-ranking outside of London coming in at eleventh with 2.2 million visitors.
Tate Modern, which staged a world-famous exhibition by Picasso in 2018, found its way to the top of the list for the first time since it opened in 2000.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery also saw a big rise in visitors, partly credited to “Dippy” the Diplodocus that visited the attraction last year.
The replica diplodocus skeleton, which previously stood in London’s Natural History Museum, arrived in Birmingham last May as part of “Dippy’s” three-year UK tour.
Tourism Minister Michael Ellis said he was “delighted” that British tourism was “booming”.
He added: “I am delighted to see such strong visitor figures for destinations across the nation. We are home to some of the best art galleries, museums and heritage sites in the world and these figures prove it.
“Tourism creates jobs, boosts our economy and is a force for good. The huge increase in visitors in Birmingham is particularly pleasing following Dippy the Dinosaur’s visit and I am sure the wider benefits will continue to be felt as he continues his tour throughout the UK.
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